Friday, January 22, 2010

We live in an internet age. We can connect to the internet in a multitude of ways. No longer is it used to just retrieve you email or looking up information. The internet is a great source for music. Internet Radio has a pluthera of channels that let you get exactly the type of music you are looking for.

To get this music, you no longer need to be in front of your computer. Many surround sound receivers are starting to come out that are internet ready, with a built-in Ethernet connection. Now you can listen to internet radio through your surround sound receiver. The potential problem is how do you connect your receiver to your router. Unless your router is close to your receiver, you will need a little help.

Enter D-Link and their DAP-1522 wireless bridge. Their wireless bridge is a bridge between your router and receiver. The bridge will connect wirelessly to your router to access internet radio. The back of the bridge has four access points. Just set the bridge next to your home theater equipment.

Set up was not difficult by following the provided instructions, with my D-Link wireless router. And if you do have any questions, or need help a 800 number is provided. They can assist you getting your new bridge set up.The DAP-1522 wireless N Bridge provided plenty of band width. The front LED's showed which parts were connected. After connecting my receiver and blu-ray player to the bridge I was able to quickly confirm the connection had been established. I turned on my receiver and blu-ray player, and saw immediately that a firmware update was available Oppo for my player. After downloading the firmware update I then turned to the receiver. After just a few minutes I was sorting through internet radio stations. Going through my Oppo player I was able to access my home media server and watch my ripped dvd collection. Picture and sound came through glitch free.

If you are looking for a wireless bridge, I highly recommend the D-Link DAP-1522. It is a quality product form a name you can trust. I would recommend adding it to your short list. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.dlink.com.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

New concept in a well established product. The Tripod Pro has a redesigned casing that is velour surfaced for the rental and staging market.

CERRITOS, Calif., Jan 20, 2010 - Elite Screens, Inc. an innovative company that specializes in affordable high quality projector screens, today announced the launch of the Tripod Pro enhanced free-standing portable projection screen. It is an enhancement of a traditional design. "The Tripod is our best selling portable screen. Due to its price performance and dynamic functions, it has become a favorite with educators, commercial trainers and residential consumers." said Dave Rodgers, Marketing Manager for Elite Screens. "The new casing with the velour surfacing adds a touch of elegance for rental and staging presentations which enhances an already tried and true product."

The Tripod Pro has a black tube casing that will protect the screen material and is coated in a velveteen material that absorbs glare from projectors as well as bear the brunt of hard handling in rental and staging applications. It is available in a (1:1) aspect ratio with viewing sizes that range from 85" to 99", 113" and 119" diagonal measurements. The screen material is Elite's MaxWhite 1.1 gain matte white front projection material with black masking borders. They vary in weight from 15lbs to 35 lbs making the tripod a highly portable and versatile product. Lastly, each tripod has a keystone eliminator to accommodate angle distortion or "keystone effect" during forum presentations.

Warranty, Availability, Pricing

The Tripod Pro comes with Elite's two-year manufacturer's limited warranty, which is twice the industry standard. Elite's Tripod Pro Series is available now through the commercial and retail sales channels. MSRP starts at $189

Thursday, January 14, 2010

The cat is out of the bag. CES had all the buzz about 3D. One exciting product was a full 1080P 3D model 3F3D from LG. It has a dual SXRD engine, which uses LCoS. It had an impressive 2500 lumens and 7,000:1 contrast ratio. The screen used was a silver screen, so it appeared to use polarized glasses. The demo was one of the best I had seen. The picture really jumped out at you and had a lot of depth. The projector was also on display in the booth next to the standard 2D CF181D which advertized use of the HQV chip. I inquired of the parts used (sealed light ingine, which video processor do they use, and lens provider, etc). The projector does use a sealed light path, and due to it having side vents, mounting it up against a back wall would not be a concern. The lenses were provided by Ricoh. They are mostly known for their copiers, but they do use optics, and the image did look great! The video processor is provided by MStar. When I questioned going from HQV to MStar, I was told that is what they use for their LCD TV's. And again, the image looked great. MSRP will be $10,000 when it comes out this summer, June I believe. For new technology, that is a not bad starting point!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Ok, where do I start. CES 2010 while there seemed to be some regular exhibitors missing due to cutbacks, there were still some very exciting products to see. Some of which will soon be, if not already on their way, for me to review. Stay tuned for info and reviews on projectors, receivers, speakers, headphones, blu-ray players, and home media systems, just to name a few. It was a very busy show and I look forward to bringing you a lot of great news, so stay tuned.

One of the coolest technologies on display seemed to be 3D. Some are calling it a recurring fad. After all, we have seen 3D come up before and it will come up again. But I think it is actually hear to stay. Why? Very cool films are coming out and not just for kids like the soon to be released Alice in Wonderland. Can you say Avitar? The amazing film is helping to bring out a lot of buzz about 3D, and the industry is jumping on board. And it is not just the manufacturers. It is the content providers. Hollywood is bringing us great movie content, and broadcasters like ESPN want to keep the content coming. This time around, we have the interest from the consumer, the interest from the manufacterers to brovide the hardware, and we also have the technology to make a real enjoyable experience.

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2010 – LG Electronics unveiled its new versatile 2010 video projector series, including CF3D, the world’s first Full HD, 3D Single Lens Type Projector and a new compact, lightweight projector (model HX300G), at the International Consumer Electronics Show this week (Booth #8205). “Consumers are continuously looking for creative new solutions for both entertainment and business video display needs, and LG projectors provide the versatility and portability options for multiple applications,” said Jeff Dowell, vice president, business solutions, LG Electronics USA. “Whether customers desire compactness and portability for presentation use, or theater-like performance for a home installation, LG has the right solution.”

HX300G – Perfect for PresentationsThe HX300G uses an LED light source to boast distinctive, clear color imaging and offers increased durability with long lamp life of approximately 30,000 hours. With an output brightness of 300 ANSI-lumens, the HX300G allows users to view video content in a darkened room with reduced distortion. The HX300G is good travel companion for those executives that are frequently on the road as it is compact and lightweight at just 1.7 pounds. The All File Viewer function supports all Microsoft Office® files and includes a USB port and support for “HD” DivX, MP3 and JPEG files, making it ideal for presentations. Specifications include:• 0.55-inch DMD • XGA resolution • 300 ANSI-lumens• Contrast ratio: 2,000:1• Life time: 30,000 hrs (typical)• HDMI 1.3, USB 2.0 input (“HD” DivX, File Viewer) • Green Technology (does not utilize a Mercury containing CCFL lamp)• Wireless FM Transmitter

About LG Electronics USALG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances and business solutions, all under LG’s “Life’s Good” marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.LGusa.com.

About LG Electronics, Inc.LG Electronics, Inc. (KSE: 066570.KS) is a global leader and technology innovator in consumer electronics, mobile communications and home appliances, employing more than 84,000 people working in 115 operations including 84 subsidiaries around the world. With 2008 global sales of $44.7 billion, LG comprises of five business units – Home Entertainment, Mobile Communications, Home Appliance, Air Conditioning and Business Solutions. LG is one of the world’s leading producers of flat panel TVs, audio and video products, mobile handsets, air conditioners and washing machines. LG has signed a long-term agreement to become both A Global Partner of Formula 1™ and A Technology Partner of Formula 1™. As part of this top-level association, LG acquires exclusive designations and marketing rights as the official consumer electronics, mobile phone and data processor of this global sporting event. For more information, please visit www.lge.com.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

When it comes to home theaters with front projectors, the quality of the picture starts with your projector. But the quality of the end result will depend on your screen. Just as the quality of projectors vary, so do the quality of screens. While you wouldn't use a $2,000 screen with a $1,000 projector, it is too easy to use a $200 screen with a $2,000 projector. It is possible to get a good quality screen for a fairly cheap price that will not degrade the quality of the image from your projector. Up for review is an Elite Screens EZ Frame 100 inch wide fixed mount screen.

When I opened the screen that Elite Screens sent for review, I could tell the high level of quality. The frame material was a very high quality, solidly built 2.36 inch aluminum frame with a black velvet finish. The design is quite ingenious with the frame having multiple grooves built into the aluminum frame. All sides of the screen material have a slot that provided plastic rods slide into. Then you push the edge of the screen with the embedded rod into the first grove. There are plastic clips provided, and once you push the screen into the first groove the plastic clip slides into another groove and holds the screen in place. The provided installation instructions are simple to follow. They are step by step, and once you start to install the screen into the frame, the sections of the frame are numbered to show a recommended order of installing the plastic clips to tension the screen to the frame. I started in the middle. After installing the first two clips at the top and bottom of the screen, there was a tight crease and I was worried there would be a lot of creases in the screen material. But as I went around and installed all of the plastic clips, the screen ended up being well secured to the frame and well tensioned with a flat surface free of creases, of the entire screen. The end result was a great looking flat screen with a nice looking solid frame in a black velvet finish. Once the frame is built it is time to mount it. The mounting design is also rather ingenious. There is a third groove that runs the entire length of the frame. Included with the frame were two aluminum brackets. These two brackets are aluminum plates that are flat except for a lip at the top. These plates are screwed onto the wall through a stud, so they are flat with the wall except for a lip at the top that sticks out from the wall about 1/16 of an inch. This spacing a the lip now allows it to slide into the last groove of the frame. So the installation process was rather simple. And after you have to do is screw the plates onto the wall. Once the wall plates are installed, all you do is lift up the screen and set it on the plates. Follow the included instructions and it is pretty simple. And the end product looks great. The screen itself is also washable.

So we know it uses high quality parts, is easy to build even for one person, and the completed screen looks great. But how does it perform? As I mentioned earlier, screens can get very expensive. This is after all not quite considered a budget screen. Screen material options are either CineWhite 1.1 or AcousticPro1080. The screen material provided was the CineWhite. The CineWhite does not quite have the black level performance help that the Cinema grey screens provides, but if you have a newer projector- which should have fairly good black level performance, the Cinema White would do a good job. And the screen material itself is fairly easy to interchange.

The picture looked great. The performance was better then expected. The image was bright enough, with good black levels, uniform diffusion and no noticeable color shift. Overall it was a good looking picture. Times are difficult with many of us trying to cut back where we can. For those of you looking for a screen on a tight budget, and are tempted to save some cash by picking up a manual pull down screen, I would suggest you take a look at the Elite Screens EZ Frame They also have their SaleFrame line which is their entry level fixed mount screen. The tensioned screen will not only look better, the fixed mount frame will have a better overall look. And it will give you years of enjoyment. For more info and complete specs, please check out their website at http://www.elitescreens.com/index.php.